Happy New Year !

 

From our home to your home : Happy New Year !!!

xx

Greet

New Year, New Goals

2012 was a great year for me, but let's be honest, my resolution this time last year was to wear sweat pants less often....
This year, I've decided to make a list of real goals for my blog and my home to keep me focused.

A lot of these goals, especially the idea of doing a monthly vlog, make me extremely nervous because they involve putting myself out there. Here's to taking risks in the new year!

What are your goals for 2013?

Now get a little glamorous and have yourself a
HAPPY NEW YEAR!

The most beautiful horse in the world

 

Hello my dear readers, I have to admit that I am not that often behind my computer these days, I try to slow down a bit and to enjoy these holidays with my family. But I really had to share this news with you!

This month the most beautiful horse in the world is been chosen in Paris at The World Championship for Arabian Horses. The winner is the Belgian stallion QR Marc, which is owned by the Belgian Paul Gheysens, of the stud Knocke Arabians.

An exceptional performance, because such beauty contests are usually dominated by horses from the Gulf region.

QR Marc has won international prizes before: last year he won an international beauty contest in Dubai. The horse now has about 700 descendants, including many who also won prizes.

 

QR MARC source http://knockearabians.com

 

QR MARC source http://knockearabians.com

 

Video of QR Marc at the World Championship for Arabian Horses-Paris 2012 Source Youtube

 

Click on this picture to see more of QR MARC.Video of QR Marc and owner Paul Gheysens of Knocke Arabians. Source Nieuwsblad.be

 

Click on the picture to watch this video of QR MarcSource Vimeo

 

If you are interested to see more pictures of QR Marc and Arabian horses, please visit the Knocke Arabians website HERE.

Being a Belgian and a true horse lover I was very proud to hear that a Belgian horse is chosen as the most beautiful horse in the world !

Congratulations to QR Marc and Mr Paul Gheysens of Knocke Arabians!

 

I do hope you all enjoy these last days of the year!

xx

Greet

Merry Christmas My Loves

via Making it Lovely

Wishing all of you the brightest and happiest holiday season, full of ginger bread cookies, egg nog and laughter with loved ones (and maybe a pink Christmas tree or two)! I'll see you in the New Year!
God Bless, xox

Merry Christmas !

 

 

Dearest readers and friends, I would like to thank you for your friendship this year. I was so pleased to read all of your nice comments and emails, and I so appreciate you have taken the time to write me!  Every single day you all encouraged me to go on with my blog Belgian Pearls. Thank you so much for your hartwarming words again and again!

Thank you for being with me this year!

xx

Greet

LEFEVRE INTERIORS on the COVER of latest issue HABITANIA

 

Dear readers, I am pleased and honored to mention that our company Lefèvre Interiors is featured in the latest issue of the Spanish interior design magazine HABITANIA !

We even made it to the cover of this issue! Isn’t this fantastic!

A huge thank you to the HABITANIA team !

All pictures are taken by the photographer MONTSE GARRIGA. A few months ago I posted about the photoshoot at our home for Habitania, by the photographer Montse Garriga HERE.

Our orangery on the cover of HABITANIA N°135 –2012. (photo credit Montse Garriga)

 

All pictures are taken by the photographer Montse Garriga.

First 2 pages of the publication in the Magazine HABITANIA. (photo credit Montse Garriga)

 

Another picture of our orangery featured in the latest issue of HABITANIA. (photo credit Montse Garriga)

If you are interested to see the full article, please click HERE.

THANK YOU AGAIN HABITANIA !

 

I do hope that, as I do, you all enjoy this most wonderful time of the year !

Talk to you soon !

xx

Greet

My Forty Hour Project

Well my loves, did you miss me? I'm still in finals but I just finished the biggest assignment of the term, so I'm hoping the rest will be quicker and easier. I'm so excited to share this project with all of your today!

We were asked to design a loft. We were given the basic dimensions and a couple specifics, but we got to invent out client and decide if we wanted a mezzanine or not, where to put it, where to put washrooms, kitchen, living room, etc. Not only did we have to do a floor plan and two sectional elevations, we were also required to create a sample board and make a to scale 3D model of the space! Let me walk you through it:

Here you can see my hand drawings of the views of the lower and upper levels of the loft. The main living area (tv area, lounge and kitchen) are all open concept with double height ceilings. You can see that the foyer, office and powder room are located underneath the mezzanine. The mezzanine level contains the bedroom and 3 piece bath. From the bedroom you can look over into the rest of the living space. The wall on the right is a full window wall with a door out to the balcony.
Also, you can see that I stacked the washrooms and kept them horizontal to the kitchen. This is the most efficient plan for plumbing.

Here is a sectional elevation giving you a better idea of the space. I located the television under the stairs to keep it somewhat out of sight and also to protect it from the glare of the massive window wall.

This is my favourite elevation that I've done so far. This wall of the loft has the original exposed brick. A large sliding glass door leads into the office.

Now a bit about my client and inspiration. My client is a young, single man in his early 30s who has a successful career in advertising. He is a guy's guy, who loves having the his friends over to watch the game and play poker. While he loves and fully embraces the downtown sophistocated lifestyle, he also loves the outdoors. I wanted to bring these contrasting but equally traditionally masculine aesthetics together in the space. Thus, menswear became my inspiration:

Specifically these dueling looks of Ryan Gosling... I mean, does it get any better?
(Parti is the essential idea or concept of a space).

Here are the products that I used to bring this idea to life:

Mid century modern pieces, industrial touches, a grey palette with warm teak and orange toned woods, suiting fabrics, etc. I also think the ceramic deer head is the perfect blend of rustic and urban!

Finally here is the piece de resistance, my model, where my drawings and concept are brought to life:

I'm so glad to be done, but it was a very fun project! 

If this is how term one wraps up...I'm a little bit scared for term two!

xox

And.....I am spent

Lovers...it's been an incredible year.

Some serious shit has happened for me and the little interior decorating company that could.

I feel so fortunate to have had some of the MOST amazing clients and grown my little business into something that makes me pinch myself that I can actually make a living doing what I love to do 

I don't wanna burn out so, I am officially taking a small break.

I have not stopped in over a year and I feel like now is the time to take a little 2 week breather to spend some Q.T. with the duck and G and appreciate some mental peace and quiet.

I plan on checking in to say hi...but mainly I will be silent

No clients, minimal blog, and no work...(lets see how long this lasts)

When the New year is in full swing I have TONS to talk about.

I have some great new clients and I am getting myself a brand spanking new website and blog.

I will be leaving blogspot and making amberinteriordesign.com a one stop shop. You will have access to everything on one page, blog included!!

The shoppe is thinking about expanding some, and e-decor is getting a facelift that I can't wait to talk about!

I am off to start my mini vacay with a trip to Disneyland for a few days...(I sure do love this place)

I will be instagrammin (amberinteriors) so please follow along with me

I leave you with some LFP master bedroom....

love you lovers

ANTA, made in Scotland

 

A few weeks ago I discovered the website of ANTA, a Scottish company involved in interior design and architecture. Suppliers of collections of carpets and rugs, throws, blankets and woven fabrics, stoneware, lighting, furniture,…

Everything from ANTA is made in Scotland. The woolen yarn used for the carpets and tweeds is sourced in the Western Isles and is woven in the Borders. The oak furniture is made in the Highlands and some of the wood is homegrown.

ANTA Stoneware was first developed when Annie Stewart began experimenting with painting tartan on ceramics 28 years ago.  Since then ANTA has become synonymous with the best in contemporary Scottish design.  The ceramics are made with love in our Highland factory and individually decorated by hand.

ANTA now 25 years in the same hands, is a partnership between designers Annie and Lachlan Stewart and the craftsmen and women with whom they work. (Text website ANTA)

 

All ANTA products can be ordered on line !

The images of the gorgeous ANTA products here, are only a few of the wide range that ANTA has to offer. Please visit the ANTA website to discover all of their products.

ANTA candles, to be reused as bowls

 

ANTA selection of Higland tweed

 

ANTA hand painted tartan stoneware

 

ANTA fabric as window treatment

 

ANTA tartan candle

 

ANTA lambswool throw

 

ANTA handpainted mug

 

ANTA Edzell Hearth rug and cushion

 

ANTA baking dish

 

ANTA Edzel Tweed sofa

 

ANTA candles

 

ANTA cushions

 

ANTA mugs

 

ANTA tartan plates

 

ANTA tartan plate

 

The new wing of the ANTA castle, with an upholstered Dagger Gordon Tweed bench

 

ANTA website http://www.anta.co.uk

ANTA online catalogue http://www.anta.co.uk/catalogueView.php

 

All images via ANTA website http://www.anta.co.uk ; ANTA online catalogue http://www.anta.co.uk/catalogueView.php ; ANTA on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/ANTAScotland & ANTA on Pinterest http://pinterest.com/antascotland/

 

I wish you a great new week!

xx

Greet

With a Sombre Heart

Yesterday, I sat down to write this post and was so overcome with emotion and sadness that I simply could not find the words. So I closed my computer and said a prayer, a prayer for all of those who lost their lives in Friday's unspeakable tragedy, and a prayer for all of the loved ones left behind to grieve the loss of lives taken far too soon. I pray that God will help to guide these families towards a future of healing and happiness, and that He will help them to find the strength and courage to make it through the dark days ahead. Sometimes, when there are no words, a prayer is the best remedy.
Heaven has some new angels this week. May they be safe in happy in a place much better than our own world. My deepest thoughts, sympathy, prayers, and love goes out to all those who need it during this difficult and devastating time. 

More Install

I am really sorry to bore you with all this install stuff....but If I had anything else to talk about with you I would...

but I don't so 

here

crappy photos is all I got...

keep following along on Instagram for more from today!

amberinteriors

Our Christmas home decoration

 

First of all I want to thank you for all the sweet and nice comments and emails I received about the Lefèvre Interiors new website! I was thrilled ! Thank you my dear readers! I appreciate you have taken the time to write me!

Today I want to share with you some pictures of the Christmas decoration at our home.

This year I wanted to keep it modest and simple.  By the way, did you notice that, in general, Christmas decoration is much more modest than we knew it the previous years? Does financial and economical crises influence the way of decorating our home for Christmas?

This year I have chosen for a more modest tree than the traditional Christmas tree we are used to.

 

A wicker basket filled with pine cones and greenery.

 

Christmas gifts under our tiny Christmas tree.

 

A wooden bowl filled with pine cones and Christmas balls.

 

A lit candle on a slice of wood, decorated with greenery.

 

A lit candle, chestnuts and greenery in a vase on the kitchen table.

 

A decorated tray on the dresser at the entry hall.

 

Christmas balls tied up with a knot.

 

Decoration on a window shelf.

 

Greenery and red berries hanging next to the cupper pans and a bunch of mistletoe at the windows. Inspiration to decorate the kitchen I found at Mona’s blog Providence Ltd Interior Design here. Thank you Mona! Love your Christmas home decoration a lot! 

 

Red berries on the coffee table in our living room.

 

 I added only one glazed Christmas ball at the tray with dates.

 

The hurricane on the mantel of our living room, I brought home when we visited Walda Pairon (see my post of Walda here).

 

Even at the outside of the house I have chosen for a very sober decoration.

Holly branches on a tree trunk slice and a fir festoon around the front door.

 

Next to the holly branches we also added a few naked branches.

 

And to make this year’s Christmas decoration complete, I added a wreath on both windows at the frontside of the house.

 

 

I do hope you enjoyed our Christmas decoration!

xx

Greet

All pictures by me.